Portraits...not for the weak or tired

Yesterday per my request, my husband made an appointment to get a family portrait done and a few of our son. Not only have I been wanting to get them, but both sets of Grandparents are asking for them as well. I owed them and myself since I haven't gotten real pictures done with the entire family since my son was six months old. Am I a slacker? Maybe, but it just was not at the top of my list.

So after a rather delicious meal at Pei Wei (which is so much better then having to wait/pay extra at P.F Changs for the SAME exact food), we headed over to the portrait place. I was glad to see there were not a whole lot of families in there as I was worried what type of circus I may be encountering when I got there. When it comes to portrait studios...you just never know.

As expected my son was not as easy this go-around when taking portraits. Last time we were in there he wasn't mobile so plopping him in an area was quite easy. Thankfully the camera girl had a helper which flirted and played with my son (she was blond so he liked that) and we were able to get a few decent shots. I was praying beforehand to just get one decent family photo and one decent photo of my son. I was praying like crazy as I smiled away at the girl that this would happen while trying to hold down the squirmiest little toddler that ever walked into the place.

Once we were done with the photo session (took about 80 photos) my husband and I were hoping that a nearby lego table would entertain my little boy for a while. It last five minutes. So in between me running after him and okaying pictures, then switching off with my husband so I could take a gander we finally nailed down some decent pictures and my prayers for having some decent photos were answered. We walked out without waiting for our pictures to be processed, but at least we had six good portraits done.

So my advice to you parents when taking your family if you have toddlers is get them done WAY before Thanksgiving and if you're lucky enough to have a helper volunteer to join you then bring them too.

Cultural Stereotyping

Maybe a week or two ago while I was flipping the channels I saw Dr. Phil had some show about cultural stereotypes. I didn't watch much as Dr. Phil is getting closer and closer (in my opinion) to be just ridiculous with his show choices like a Jerry Springer with a little more educated host and no beat downs (that I know of). It prompted a question I had in my head, an honest question on how much we all stereotype cultures. We could say we all don't think this or that, but seriously people...we all stereotype in some way or another. Don't think you're above it, because you aren't.

Do I think that all Asians are bad drivers? No. People that drive old school Corollas do (sorry to those who drive Corollas...I hope you prove me wrong). I guess that would be a vehicle stereotype). What comes to mind when you think of the Irish? I think of red hair, the grassy fields of Ireland, drunkenness (there is my stereotype) and a accent I just can't help but enjoy hearing. Are all Jews good with money? A lot of them I know are, but not all are rich. Lord knows my husband's Grandparents aren't.

When it comes to my husband I see a lot of stereotyping or just categorizing him just because of his culture since he was born and lived half his childhood in Russia. Hell, I'll admit that I do it to him too. When I grew up it seemed that every family that moved in and out of the house next door to my Nagypapa's house were Russians. My family is Hungarian. Heck we knew Hungarian Freedom Fighters and I remember my Nagypapa (Hungarian for Grandfather) talking about those "damn Russians" next door. They were fine people and even my Nagypapa ended up getting along with them in the end. When I brought home my husband for the first time. My Mom commented how nice he was, but also made a point "he's Russian". Um so? I didn't grow up in the Cold War era maybe that is why I have no fear or disdain for ALL Russians.

When I thought of Russians (before actually knowing one), I thought of them as a very strong (almost beyond masculine to super power), sneaky, vodka drinking, everyone plays hockey and can dance to traditional folk music. Now that I know one, I still think Russians are strong (emotionally, mentally and physically) culture that really loves to have a good time (drinking or not) and knows how to unwind and not take life so seriously. They know how to detach themselves from work/life stresses and just have a good time without wondering who is looking or feeling over conscious. They are a VERY hospitable group and Russians will never let you leave their homes hungry. All Russians are not Alexander Ovechkin. My husband did not even ice skate (even though he lived in Siberia) until he came to the states. As for dancing? Plenty of them can, but I have yet to see any of them do the Drobushki, Peresek, or Chechetka (Russian step dance)even though that would thrill me to death and I have challenged a few of them to do it. Some have tried but were very unsuccessful. I find it sexy that my husband is Russian and has lots of these traits (stereotype and all minus the drinking since he really doesn't). If I describe him or talk to him I often do bring up where he is from because I find it fascinating. I know some other people look at him bugged eyed with questions because of his culture. Are they stereotyping him or just curious? I am not sure.

I think as Americans we are very much stereotyped as being a loud noisy bunch, but no more noisier then Russians can be. Haha. However, as a whole (and yes I am stereotyping so gasp if you will) being a culture that is obsessed with being overly PC. I agree on some of the PC-ness (if you will). However, there are those extreme groups of people who are offended by silly things. For example, the term Halloween and wanting to change it to Fall Festival is just plain ridiculous. It is what it is people, its Halloween. If you don't want to celebrate it then don't. I don't celebrate everything on the calendar like Day of the Dead, Woman's Day (celebrated in Russia), Kwanza and I don't expect it to be renamed to something else to hide the fact of what it actually is. I also think Americans as whole (again stereotyping) need to be less stressed out and less worried about material goods. Take time to unwind. Let yourself be a bit more free and stop worrying about what new Gucci purse is coming out. I get my purses from TJ Maxx thank you very much. Then again becoming a Mom (for me at least) has knocked me into the "real world".

I went off on a tangent, but you get what I am saying (well maybe). Cultural stereotypes is just something we all live with day to day. What are yours? Be honest now because I know you were thinking of some.

What Didn’t I Do Today?

Inspired by another blogger, I decided (yet again) to do a list. Instead of thinking of all the things you didn’t get done in one day. How about all the things you did manage to do?

Here was my yesterday:

Woke up snuggling with my little boy

Got two sets of teeth brushed in the morning (mine and my sons)

Actually put on makeup for the first time in months to work

Remembered the night before to set out a sheet, blanket and an extra outfit and SUCCESSFULLY (this doesn’t always happened) take it to my son’s day care with me.

Bravely let my son for the first time in the morning drink from the big boy cup

Take two poodles outside that took like 15 minute craps. Come on I can go faster then they can. Then again I don’t sniff for a spot.

Get my drinks packed in my bag so I don’t waste money buying them at the vending machine.

Make the thirty commute into work and remember how glad I don’t have my old commute.

Arrive a little late to work…okay a lot late but I’ll finish what I need to during my “free time” tonight.

Research the place to call for my child’s speech evaluation….and actually called them to set something up.

Reminded my husband that his Dad’s birthday was next week

Make a note in the calendar about my sister’s anniversary

Attend two meetings

Write a report on last months team productivity

Send another report out due on Thursday

Asked my husband to set up an appointment for portraits to be taken (I am such a great delegator).

Teach an elderly person to use the copier machine (really they had them in the 60’s but she’s nice so obviously I’ll help AND does this count as doing a good deed for the day?).

Eat a horrible lunch while playing mafia wars and achieving some insanely stupid level.

Write a “to do list” for today up till Wednesday.

Unsuccessfully hide a co-worker from her boss (don’t ask).

Drink an excessive amount of soda.

Talk to the most handsome man over the phone finally (he’s legit I have his last name).

Drive the thirty commute home and multi task by talking to my sister about the speech therapy I may get for my son.

Get more information about the possible speech therapy from talking to the Director of my son’s day care and find some AWESOME information.

Successfully pick my son up from him playing outside without having to go into the little house he was persuading me into. I can’t fit.

Take him into the house, feed him snack…okay some Halloween candy (call me a softie).

Take out the two 15 minute pooping dogs so they can relieve themselves.

Talk to my Mom a bit about speech therapy since she has experience in taking me when I was a kid.

Put on the one episode of Sesame Street for my son’s and my MUCH needed winding down time.

Build some fantastic lego castle with my son so he can knock it down.

Heat up some YUMMY leftovers from my husband’s birthday dinner on Sunday for the family.

Replenish the dog’s food and water.

Read my son (no joke) fifty pages of nursery rhymes from a book he got from his Aunt. HE LOVES that book. He already established favorites in which I have to sing certain songs like “Baa Baa Black Sheep”. I read until my voice got hoarse.

Cuddled up with my son, which was awesome right before he went to sleep.

Dived into two cupcakes that didn’t stand a chance.

Let the dogs out…again.

Took some time to myself to play ridiculous online applications.

Picked up some trash.

Found my son’s dress pants in the laundry only to find they needed ironing…badly.

Ironed the littlest pair of dress pants AND because they are slightly too big also ironed the cuffs of the pants so they would stay up for the picture tomorrow.

Located my son’s shirts the he will wear for portraits the following day and matching socks.

Found a work outfit for myself for the next day as well as an outfit I would wear for the family portraits.

Gave my son some water.

Dove into bed and watched a girly program before passing out.

So on my Monday I was a snuggler, a helper, a chef, a working Mom, a chauffer, dog walker, a researcher, a story time reader, a trash girl, a stylist, an organizer, a singer, an architect, a delegator, a great wife, a pretty darn good Mommy and myself all in one day. What didn’t I do?

Five Years Ago

Inspired tonight by an article I read earlier in the month about how much things change over the years. One year is all the time in the world to make a difference. Its just amazing how much can change. So in dedication to this post, I wanted to write about what life was like during different stages of my life and I invite you to do the same and perhaps project where you see yourself as well in 1, 5 and 10 year increments.

One year ago...

...I was new to my job and found out it was ending in a few months.

...My little guy was one and a half and just started walking.

...I was still wearing maternity pants.

...Still slept in a queen sized bed (king is so nice...man is it nice)

Five years ago...

...I just graduated college and started on my first full time job.

...I BOUGHT my first car (a Chrysler Crossfire).

...I still lived with my parents.

...My husband still lived with his parents and they were still together.

Ten years ago...

...I was a senior in high school.

...I barely knew who my husband was nor did I like him.

...Was a size four or even smaller and thought I looked fat (haha)

...I was one of those teenagers that hung out at a less populated Reston Town Center.

Now for my predictions of the future...haha.

One year from now...

...Of had my son in some sort of speech therapy to better his speech.

...Have most of the debt that needs to be paid off, paid off.

...Get at least one of the major house projects completed even if its just painting.

...Start transitioning my son to a big boy bed.

Five years from now...

...(God willing)would of had a few more kids.

...Ben would be in elementary school...YIKES.

...Hopefully have the Great Grandparents (Hubby's side) live in Virginia.

Ten years from now...

...Can I say I'll be old? LOL. Just joking

...Have an almost teenager.

...Hopefully planning a fun vacation with my hoard of children.

...Being as wonderfully in love with my husband as I am now.

...Maybe a new house, but honestly still happy where I am now.